One half of MAWOI has been on the road, driving and camping his way, from Colorado to Sayulita and back for the past few weeks. He’s been keeping me abreast of all developments. Cop bribe? Check. Thunder stomach? Check. Weeks of hammock time on the beach? Check. The majority of the time recently has been spent trying to conjure up a reason to come home.

It’s very likely Martin Yan could be the sole source of my lifelong obsession with Asian food (furthered more recently hanging with my friend Jeff). Back when I first started watching Yan Can Cook, he was one of only a handful of Master Chefs on the planet. Dazzling knife skills combined with an equally dazzling ability to julienne the English language made the show a true gem. His newer series are a bit more subduded but do a great job showcasing his vast knowledge rather than stage presence.

Back in the day before Food Network, there were a handful of TV foodie personalities that really laid a solid foundation for my interest in cooking (and years working in kitchens, but that is another story). On the top of that list is James Barber of Urban Peasant fame. James always threw together an odd mix of ingredients that somehow transpired into sort of a luxury hobo meal. And without fail, managed to pour at least one beer into the mix just for good measure.

My dad is raving about these right now, they are so down his alley (in the vein of the Kifaru stuff). I don’t know much about them but I’m going to get a demo this weekend . . . they also sell fly rods so they can’t be all bad.

From the site:

A Kelly Kettle / Volcano Kettle will boil water in 3 to 5 minutes depending on the fuel you’re using. Made from aluminium it is essentially a double-walled chimney with the water contained in the chimney wall. Once the campkettle is filled with water, simply start a very small fire in the base, set the kettle on the base and drop additional fuel (twigs, leaves, grass, paper, etc.) down the chimney.
The large internal surface area of the chimney heats the water very quickly. When the water boils, hold the Handle at an angle of 90° to the Kettle – then lift the Kettle clear of the base.

To pour, lift it by the handle and tilt it using the cork chain.

If additional water is required, simply refill the kettle with water and place it back on the base when the fire is still burning. Refill the chimney with fuel and you can look forward to a second kettle full of boiling water within a matter of minutes.

I finally got another copy of Annie Hall the other day (I think the VHS died a slow miserable death due to the obsessive viewing). Even though I’ve seen it more times than even I’d even admit, the style just seemed so spot on for certain trends floating to the surface lately. The chambray and gingham as well as sprinkles of army surplus are just spot on. Annie’s style has historically been celebrated but definitely worth a re-watch just to focus on the styling of Max, er, Alvy, er, Woody.

Gingham and cords
Military jacket
Tee (I always liked the RL tee he wore in Manhattan with the polo player on the sleeve)
Clarks beeswax not sure exactly about the shoes, its tough to tell, might be more like the Wallabee
Brown belt, brass buckle
Live lobsters and lobster kit from the Nezinscot Guild

This is one of those activities that seems like everyone who lives around some fresh water could easily do. Fun for the kiddies too (just keep ‘em away from the sharp end). I’ve done it in the past just catching them one by one, but it makes it rough to get a meal, I think its time to step it up a notch.

Penfield Stapleton (now available on pre-oder). You know I’m a sucker for the zip off sleeves.
Ranchway Tee.
Seward Range pants (I know, I know, but its about the closest I can find to that thickness we were talking about).
Gee’s Trap. I like the looks of this one, but I’m sure the ones here work much better.
Old Bay.
Boris beer. The small bottles will make it look like the crayfish are bigger.
Crayfish Bait.
Industrial Stock Pot.
Hodgman Hip Boots.
Sea to Summit Foldable Bucket.
Outdoor Burner.

Looking forward to the crisp weather and tostin pies over the backyard fire pit :

Wrangler snap front shirt
Alpaca knit cap
Filson Lined Ranch Jacket and Log Carrier
Landmann Ball of Fire
Rome’s Round Pie Iron
Metal Camping Cup
J Crew Straight Fit Vintage Cord
Pendleton Whisky (yeah that’s how they spell it)
Moonshine Leather Western Belt
LLBean Double Sole Slippers

I’ve been wanting another charcoal grill for a while but haven’t really wanted to make the space for another full sizer next to the gas grill. Enter the Lodge Cast Iron Hibachi! Seriously, this looks perfect. I caught an episode of Primal Grill the other night and he whips out one of these little gems and just goes to town (OK, yeah those sunglasses are freaky but he does know his stuff). Think Asian street food and the goodness of cast iron right in your back yard. Made in the USA and pre-seasoned at the factory. Done and done.

What’s even better is that now, full episodes are available via iTunes video podcasts.